MP Jagadish Shettar chaired a high-level review meeting on Wednesday to assess the progress of various central government infrastructure projects in the district.
The meeting, attended by Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan and senior officials from the Railways, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Airport Authority, focused on clearing bottlenecks and accelerating deadlines.
National Highway Projects: Focus on Bypass and Connectivity
Halga-Machhe Bypass Road
Officials reported that of the 9 km stretch connecting Halga and Machhe, 4 km of roadwork is now complete.
- Current Status: Construction of the service road is currently underway.
- Commitment: NHAI officials assured the MP that the remaining roadwork would be fast-tracked for early completion.
Belagavi-Hungund-Raichur Highway
The project is being executed in two major packages:
- Package 1 (43.8 km): Special Land Acquisition Officers from Bagalkot confirmed that 37 km of land has been acquired. To date, ₹270 crore in compensation has been distributed to farmers. The department aims to complete this section by February 2027.
- Package 2 (46.1 km): Approximately 38 km of land has been taken into possession, with ₹2 crore already paid to farmers. MP Shettar addressed specific hurdles in this stretch and provided instructions for immediate resolution.
- Farmer Demands: Responding to requests from farmers in Naganur and Bhavihal (Bailhongal Taluk), the MP directed NHAI to construct service roads or cattle underpasses (creeds) to facilitate the movement of livestock.
Belagavi-Sankeshwar Six-Lane Highway
The Deputy Commissioner noted that the majority of the six-lane work on this route is nearing completion, significantly improving connectivity toward the Maharashtra border.
Railways: Funding Delays Slow Down New Routes
Belagavi-Kittur-Dharwad New Rail Line
The ambitious project, which requires a total of 1,119 acres, faces a potential slowdown.
- Land Progress: The Price Advisory Committee (PAC) has approved the acquisition of 407 acres.
- The Hurdle: Officials informed the meeting that the State Government is yet to release the necessary grants, which is delaying the start of actual construction.
Tilakwadi Second Lane
MP Shettar and DC Roshan reviewed the second lane construction at Level Crossing (LC) No. 381 near Tilakwadi and directed railway engineers to commence work immediately to ease local traffic congestion.
Airport: Expansion Requires Defense Land
Regarding the development of the Belagavi Airport, the Airport Director highlighted the need for land currently held by the Air Force to construct a parallel taxiway. The MP took note of the requirement to coordinate with the Ministry of Defence to facilitate this expansion.
Key Officials in Attendance
The meeting saw participation from:
- Land Acquisition Officers: Smt. Jainapur and Shri Chauhan.
- NHAI Project Directors: Shri Bhuvanesh Kumar (Dharwad) and Shri Pavan Gurve (Bagalkot).
- Airport Director: Shri Tyagarajan.
- Railways: Deputy Engineer Shri Vinayak.
MP Shettar concluded the session by emphasizing that coordination between state and central agencies is vital to ensure that these multi-crore projects stay on schedule for the benefit of the North Karnataka region.
